In the area of dispensing coupons and product samples, etc., stacks of loose coupons or coupon pads (or stacks of product samples) placed near the products advertised by those coupons or samples have proved inefficient in the past for several reasons. First, consumers often take more than one item and end up disposing of the extras or using more than one. This result is inconsistent with the purpose of the related marketing programs which issue these items as incentives for consumers to purchase their product. Additionally, the unprotected coupons/samples are easily torn, crumpled, or otherwise damaged, often leaving them unsuitable for use. These problems disrupt the efficiency of such advertising and marketing programs.
Present refillable dispensers whether electrically or manually operated pose different problems. While these kinds of dispensers are designed to protect the coupons/samples and dispense them one at a time, they may malfunction, may be maintenance intensive, and may be relatively expensive. Even the less expensive versions require a particular method and/or pattern of stacking and folding in order to dispense the items properly. These requirements effectively lower the cost efficiency of the related in-store advertising and marketing programs.
Accordingly, there is a need for a low cost, low maintenance method of dispensing coupons and product samples. Other needs will become apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings.